mn-crop-weather
State
Minnesota Monthly Crop-Weather
Released: March 30, 2009
Issue No: CW-13-09
COOPERATING WITH THE MN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE -
CHANHASSEN MN, UNIV. OF MINN. EXTENSION SERVICE, DNR STATE CLIMATOLOGY OFFICE,
USDA-FSA, AND USDA-NRCS
The following comments are from Minnesota’s County Extension Educators, FSA
(USDA - Farm Service Agency), and NRCS (USDA - Natural Resources Conservation
Service) Offices
BIG STONE: Everything looks pretty good at this time. No snow, frost coming
out. Feed is good and moisture is great going into spring.
BROWN: Snow is gone. Recent rains have assisted in frost going away. No
issues in feed availability. Livestock conditions are good. Moisture is
adequate.
CARVER: Recent rains have helped to speed the spring thawing process. Tile
lines are now flowing. Snow is all gone. Feed availability and livestock
conditions are good. Some field work on corn ground that did not get worked
last fall. Manure being hauled on fields.
CROW WING: It seems to be plenty cold for March. Nobody in fields anymore
but folks were picking corn and feeding it earlier in the month. Snow is
gone. Been raining quite a little, so the frost is going out and the field
work will stop until it dries. Many fields flooded.
DAKOTA: Received much needed rain. No activities to report at this time.
DODGE: Snow is almost all gone. Got some rain that will help bring the
frost out. Moisture is good but will need some more moisture before planting.
Livestock are in good condition and feed supplies are good.
DOUGLAS: Corn harvest has been taking place on several of the remaining
fields. Snow cover is mostly gone on area fields. Ground is still frozen and
runoff has filled many ponds and wetlands beyond their banks. Soil moisture is
in surplus.
FILLMORE: No snow cover. Frost depth 2.5 feet. Some manure application
taking place.
FREEBORN: We have had a long cold winter and at the moment it doesn’t look
like we’ll be getting into the fields early.
GRANT: Conditions for livestock farmers are difficult at best. Abrupt and
constant temperature changes, moisture and wind changes and snow, ice, rain,
and high velocity winds making calving and lambing difficult. Feedstuffs and
feeding rations, bedding, facilities and so on need to be constantly changed
to reflect the "present" weather conditions. A late harvest and resulting
trash and unharvested crops, compounded by the adverse weather conditions,
are going to make it difficult to determine what to plant and where until the
last minute for many farmers. This planting "dilemma" also is influenced by
the input costs for each crop and potential for planting "on time" for each
crop leading to the highest potential yield per acre.
GOODHUE: This week, with the rains, we have seen the isolated spots of snow
and frost dissipate from the fields. There has not been field work done but,
with the right weather, it could open up fast, in the light soils, for small
grain seeding. There is a lull with the preparation in planting needs being
finalized, equipment given the final once over, and waiting for the weather to
open up the fields for Spring work.
HOUSTON: Snow cover has melted. No flooding problems were reported.
HUBBARD: Snow cover is nearly gone in the cropland of the county. It has been
replaced by water from the melting snow. In some of the low areas of these
fields, the frost has gone out with the remaining areas still frozen. Moisture
supplies would be considered surplus. Livestock condition and feed supplies
are good at this time.
ITASCA: Winter continues to linger. Received six plus inches of snow on March
10th. Warm temperatures melted most of that snow and caused flooding in low
areas. Now it has cooled off again and has been snowing for the last couple
days, no accumulation though. Aside from the challenge of the weather, calving
is in full swing and going well. Feed supplies are high.
JACKSON: Warm weather in the middle of March melted most snow. Significant
rain was received after the warm weather. Frost has started to breakup, but
cold nights during the last seven days has slowed the thaw. Soil moisture
supplies are adequate. Livestock are in good condition, but feed yards are
getting sloppy with mud. Feed supplies of hay are above average.
KANABEC: Snow cover has melted, just a light dusting of cover in places.
Frost is coming out. Feed is plentiful. Livestock are doing fine except for
muddy places. Moisture is plentiful at this time.
KANDIYOHI: Received 5 inches of rain in the last several days. The drainage
ditches have crested and starting the slow downward trend. Some tile lines
still seem to be frozen, but the water is slowing leaving. Farmers are hoping
for warmer weather to get ready for the planting season.
KITTSON: Recent snowfall has the ground covered once again with a white
blanket. Prior to the snow, the majority of the snow cover had melted away.
Some of the ditch systems have opened and are flowing. The rivers are open
and flowing. Concerns exist with flooding. National Weather Service projections
show near record level crests are coming. Due to the freeze thaw cycles there
are concerns with winterkill on fall seeded crops and forage. Livestock
producers report adequate feed supplies at this time. Calving season is in
full swing, weather conditions have proved to be challenging at times for
livestock producers calving.
KOOCHICHING: The snow was almost gone until last Wednesday when much more
snow fell. The water was everywhere, 2 to 3 feet in the pastures in places.
Now, most of that has gone, after the cold temps the past few days, The rain
on Monday and Tuesday got things moving, the cold and snow slowed things down
before they got out of hand. The cows are doing well, calves are coming and
looking very good. Hay is holding out. And the pastures should have enough
moisture from the rains last fall to get things growing although it is still
frozen hard. The spring is slow, but that makes it better to put hay out and
the cows can also find places to lie down.
(Over)
LAC QUI PARLE: Flooding and too much water seem to be the biggest issues
right now in the county. Over a two day stretch much of the county received
over 3" of rain. That, in combination with a lot of snow melting, caused
flooding that parts of the county has not seen since the 1997 floods.
LE SUEUR: Recent rains have helped bring the frost out and bolstered soil
moisture. Snow is pretty much gone. Feed supplies are good and livestock is
in excellent condition.
LINCOLN: Most snow has melted. Some spring rains. Calving has started. If
weather cooperates, some will be planting wheat in early April. Livestock are
in good condition. Hay is available. After some very warm weather,
temperature is below normal again.
MCLEOD: Nearly all of the winter snow cover has melted off. Moisture levels
are above average, and recent rains have contributed to standing water in
fields. Streams and rivers are roughly 2 feet above flood levels. There is
good availability of feed for livestock and even some green grasses in spots
due to warmer than average temperatures in late March. Overall, livestock are
in great condition and spring calving has begun. The depth of frost is
roughly 42" and the depth of thaw is roughly 30".
MAHNOMEN: Early march snowstorm added another foot of snow. Mid March warm
up caused snow to melt rapidly and, along with added rain, has led to overland
flooding. Excess moisture along with saturated frozen soil is causing the
Wild Rice and Red Rivers to reach high flood stages. Most cattle, grain, and
bales have been moved. A lot of the remaining corn came off the week of March
16-21. Still some corn left in the fields. Many roads are currently closed.
Producers are preparing for flooding. Clean up of fields will need to be done.
Farmers are still unsure of planting plans as many fields, especially corn,
have a lot of crop residue.
MARSHALL: Overland and river flooding is occurring. There have been power
outages caused by ice breaking power line poles in the flooded area near Oslo.
A number of farm families are living on their farmsteads within their ring
dikes, surrounded by water at this time.
MEEKER: Meeker County received snow early in the month but with recent rains
(3 inches this week) most snow is melted and frost is going out. Some fields
have standing water.
MORRISON: As of March 30th, no snow cover. Some frost remains in the soil.
Livestock conditions are fair, although the continued wet weather is causing
some beef producers to lose some calves.
NOBLES: In open areas there is no snow cover. Moisture is adequate at this
time. Livestock condition is good. Planning activities, equipment repair,
input purchases, and general readiness are occurring in preparation for spring
planting.
OLMSTED: Cold, wet, still snow in woods, north hillsides and ditches.
Thawing ground about 2 feet down and greasy driving. Dry, need rain. No one
in the fields around here. Farmers getting seed, fertilizer and working on
equipment. Growers and ag-retailers are preparing for spring field work.
Winter rye seeded as a cover crop is starting to green up.
OTTERTAIL: Snow depth 0 to 10 inches. Fields open, frost is out in some low
areas and hilltops. Good feed availability. Livestock look good. Excess
moisture.
PINE: Snow cover is at 1/2 inch. Frost out of about 1/3 of county but still
in corn stubble and behind groves. Livestock doing well, some have started
calving in mud. Topsoil and subsoil have plenty of moisture. Signup is slow
for DCP, some are waiting for ACRE program information.
POLK: Concern over saturated fields from last fall. Plenty of field work
needs to be done yet. Many fields with corn stubble or corn yet to be
harvested. Expecting more snow accumulation yet this week.
ROSEAU: Warmer temperatures as well as up to 2 inches of rain and 4 to 6
inches of snowfall have resulted in flood condition across much of the county.
Unless the precipitation ceases for the next two months, spring planting
conditions will be less than ideal. Prevented planting is expected, because
of the saturated soil conditions last fall and above average snowfall this
winter.
STEARNS: I measured over 4.5 inches of rain from Sunday to Wednesday this
week. Some localized flooding over township roads. Tiles are running, and
soils are saturated. Snow nearly all melted. There has been ponding on
alfalfa fields since the February thaw, concerning dairy farmers.
WILKIN: Overland flooding and flooding from the Otter Tail and Red Rivers
occurred between the middle and the end of March. Warm temperatures in mid-
March caused rapid snow melt. Heavy rain received March 23, followed by colder
temperatures and snow during the last week of the month. Very wet, saturated
soils. With no fall tillage completed, spring planting will be challenging.
WINONA: No or little snow cover. Four to five foot frost. Feed availability
adequate, some hay being shipped in for big dairies. Adequate moisture.
WRIGHT: Snow cover is gone, about 2 inches of rain fell week of March 22nd.
Some field work is beginning. We're ready for spring!
Thank you for your comments.
Contact Information
USDA, NASS MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE- CHANHASSEN MN, UNIV. OF MINN. EXTENSION SERVICE, DNR
STATE CLIMATOLOGY OFFICE, USDA-FSA, AND USDA-NRCS
USDA-NASS MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
PO Box 7068, St. Paul, MN 55107
Phone: (651) 296-2230
E-mail: nass-mn@nass.usda.gov
Homepage: http://www.nass.usda.gov/mn/